Adept Series 5: Girl Talk
by shadowglove
Summary: Chloe finally tells someone from her own team about her need to change her bonder, and Abby Sciuto is full of both cheerful optimism and wise advice.


**Disclaimer: Don't own Smallville/NCIS**

Sequel to: A Ghost In The House.

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"You can't be serious." Abby Sciuto gasped, horrified, as she scooted closer to the other girl on sofa. "Why haven't you told us about this sooner?" She reached out and hugged Chloe tightly, her body _trembling_ with her intense reaction to the news before she pulled away, eyeing the blonde intensely. "Does Gibbs know?"

Chloe looked away and sighed, shaking her head. "Booth is the only one who knows."

"The guy from the Jeffersonian?" Abby pouted deeply. "Why does _he_ get to know before _we do_?"

"Remember? Psychic mummy gave him and I full-exclusive looks into each other's deep dark secrets?" Chloe reached over and placed her hand over Abby's. "I didn't choose him over you guys or anything, okay?"

"Okay." Abby was still pouting, though less than before as she sighed a pulled a black lock of hair behind her ear. "But this is important, Chloe. If you don't find a new bonder soon you could go bonkers! Or die!"

"I know." She nodded.

"We can't let that happen!" Abby shot up to her feet, beginning to pace her living room floor. "We need a battle plan STAT. You, me, we're going to go over every available guy we both know and we're getting you that bonder. No ifs ands or buts!"

"I don't exactly know any guys, Abbs." Chloe sighed tragically.

"That's a lie!" Abby pointed out emphatically. "You know Tony, McGee and Palmer! All of them are single!"

"Rule #12." Chloe decided to just give an easy answer to Abby and not muddle with her whole theory that Tony and Ziva, and McGee and Abby were destined for each other...and Palmer just was _not_ her type.

"Never date a co-worker. _Right_." Abby flinched. "Talking about rules...you're going to need to talk to Gibbs about this. He needs to know."

"Oh, I know he needs to know-and he's sensing something's up. You know him. He's Gibbs. The Great White. The Omnipotent All Seeing All Knowing One." Chloe sighed. "It's so damned annoying sometimes."

Abby smirked, sitting down next to her once more. "You're keeping your spirits high. Good." She clasped her hands together, grinning brightly. "And don't you worry! I know a _lot_ of nice guys! Maybe someone from the Los Angeles Division? Eric? Callen?"

Chloe made a face, shaking her head.

"_Why not_?" Abby squeaked in disapproval. "Eric's sweet and intelligent! And he's kinda cute! And Callen..." She smiled broadly. "_Handsome_."

"I haven't met them in person, but dad _does_ respect Callen and that obviously says _a lot_ about him...but I don't know..." Chloe continued making that face. "I've seen pictures...I've been there during the video conferences...and I'm just not feeling it."

"Okay, okay, so no Team LA, fine." Abby sighed, leaning back against the sofa and twisting her mouth to the side thoughtfully. "We need to bring Ziva in on this." She decided quickly. "Ziva knows a lot of guys...I'll introduce you to the ones I know, she'll introduce you to the ones _she_ knows...between the two of us you should be able to find _one_ guy _at least_ who fits your requirements so you can get rid of that bond with that _man_ once and for all."

Chloe smiled, reaching out and hugging the woman she'd quickly grown to love like a sister since the moment she'd come to live with Gibbs. "Thanks, Abbs."

Abby squeezed her back tightly. "Don't mention it. Plus, I've always wanted to play matchmaker!"

Chloe chuckled as she pulled away, shaking her head.

"So, what exactly are your basic requirements in a bonder?" Abby wanted to know, obviously getting down to business.

"Well, the most important thing I need in a bonder is a strong, stable mind." Chloe responded without a second's thought. "On my best days I struggle with remaining sane, controlling my brain and the information I absorb or it feels I need to dish out. It's frustrating because I have no control or stability of my own. I need to draw from my bonder's state of mind, and so to help level me out he'd need to be _extremely_ stable."

"Rules out a couple of my exes." Abby quipped, grabbing a cushion and hugging it to her chest. "What else?"

"I-I really haven't thought much more than that, really." Chloe worried her bottom lip. "I mean, he'd also have to be open-minded, I guess, for him to even believe me and my whole Adept story and the reason why I need to bonder."

"Does it have to be a guy?" Abby asked a good question. "Because I know more level-headed girls then guys."

"Well, no, it doesn't _have_ to be a guy but I _need_ my bonder to be male." Chloe responded, a bit embarrassed. "Part of the bonding ceremony deals with sex...and I _really_ don't swing that way...so I'd need it to be a guy who became my bonder."

"Point taken." Abby nodded, running her hand over her head. "Chloe, we're going to have to bring everyone in on this. McGee, Tony...maybe even Gibbs and Ducky...they'd be really helpful in this and-."

"I don't really want to involve them." Chloe admitted. "I mean, it's so _embarrassing_ to have to explain how much of a freak I am...and especially to _men_."

"You're not a _freak_." Abby scolded. "You are what you are and we love and accept you for who you are. And anyway, Rule #15."

Chloe sighed. "Always work as a team."

"_Exactly_." Abby smiled brightly, nodding her head to that. "And we're all a team...more than that we're a _family_...and you _do_ realize you're the baby of said family, right?"

Chloe's lips twitched with amusement at that.

"I mean, McGee and Tony are going to be all over-protective older brothers with the guy and let's not even _start_ on Gibbs! I mean, we have to _ease_ Gibbs into the idea! Give him time to control his fatherly desires to murder any guy who shows sexual interest in his daughter, you know?"

The goth had a point there.

"And Ziva does that whole older sister thing where she pretends she is supportive but she makes sure he's treating you well or she'll spread rumors he's impotent or gay or something...or slit his car ties." Abby went on. "Ducky will be that uncle you want on your side to talk to Gibbs and make him see reason." She suddenly shot up from the sofa. "And Vance! We need Vance on this!"

"Why do we need Director Vance in on this?" Chloe squeaked, horrified.

"You're the only one in his Paranormal Division! He _needs_ you and he knows it!" Abby was excited as she began pacing the floor once more. "If he knows that your getting a bonder is crucial to you being useful he'll _order_ Gibbs to stand down."

"Gibbs would probably just quit." Chloe replied tiredly. "Or shoot him."

Abby frowned. "You have a point."

"Sadly, I do." The blonde agreed, running her fingers through her hair. "It's going to be so hard for him because of what happened to Shannon and Kelly."

Abby bit her bottom lip.

"I mean, after their deaths he never really recovered...never thought he'd have a chance at being a father again...and then he finds out about the big secret daddy and mom had kept from him all these years..._Me_." Chloe shook her head, still remembering the day when Leroy Jethro Gibbs had come to her house in Smallville. "And then he realized he had a daughter...one who needed so much protection...and he's been overprotecting me ever since getting me back because he's scared I'm going to get killed like Kelly."

"He loved Kelly with all his heart." Abby agreed. "But Chloe, he loves you for you, not because he has Kelly's death engrained in his mind."

"Oh, I know he loves me." Chloe smiled. "And I love the old guy myself...but sometimes it's _stressful_. Like now. I have to worry about my situation _and_ about how _he_ is going to react to the situation."

"_Chloe_." Abby sat down once more. "GIbbs _adores_ you, and if he knows that this will save you, he'll find the perfect guy for you and make him be your bonder even if he has to press the nozzle of a loaded gun to the dude's back and _force_ him to."

Chloe smiled at the imagery. "He would, wouldn't he?"

"He loves you _so much_." Abby smiled back at her. "You just need to sit him down like you did me, and have a heart to heart with him, open up completely. He'll not be very happy at first, but he'll come around, because he loves you and only wants the best for you."

Chloe nodded, taking in a deep breath. "I'll talk to him when I go home."

"Good girl." Abby praised, reaching out and ruffling the blonde hair affectionately. "And with the Great White tamed, tomorrow we can brief the rest of the team via a private meeting. If working together we can solve the most puzzling of crimes...finding you a guy will be a piece of _cake_."

Chloe watched the cheerful, excited goth, and hoped to god that Abby hadn't just jinxed them.

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**Review?**


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